Spring adjustment for valves, etc.



Jan. 14, 19 30.

Filed Sept. 13, 1926 w E 4 7 w w a W] W W q g I 'y/ e/ g W, 0

Patented a... 14, 1930 UNITED 'STA FRANK E. HOPKINS, OF ARLINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNQLR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO CONSOLIDATED ASHCROFT HANCOCK COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK,

N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE SPRING ADJUSTMENT FOB- VALVES, ETC.

' Application filed September 13, 1926. Serial No. 135,078.

Thisinvention relates primarily to valves in which a spring is employed to influence the closing and opening movements of the valve member, and it is particularly concerned w 1th means for adjusting the tension of the spriu P so employed and for securing and locking the adjusting means. The invention consists in the combination with the valve and a rotatably adjustable stem or equivalent abutment,

, close on a seat 15 surroundin on which the valve spring reacts, of displaceable locking means of special character adapted to be set so as to prevent displacement of the stem or abutment from its adjusted position. In another aspect, the invention consists in the combination of such locking means with a rotatably adjusting stem or the like adapted for various uses.

In its application to the uses of spring loaded valves, or weight loaded and spring relieved valves, the lock cooperates between,

a rotatably adjustable screw-threaded stem and a casing in which such stem is mounted, and is itself prevented by retaining means from being displaced. In the following specification, and in connection with the drawings, I have described illustratively two forms of lock embodying the invention in combination with two types of valve.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a spring loaded valve containing this invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view ofya weight loaded valve having a counteracting sprin and adjusting means therefor embodying t e invention:

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a modified form of lock applicable to either of the valves above mentioned;

Fig. 4 is. a plan view of the lock shown in Fig. 3.

Like reference same parts wherever they occur in all the figures.

The valve chosen for illustration in Fig. 1 is a relief valve having abody or casing 1 with aninlet at-12,'an d an outlet at 13, and containing a valve proper'14 arranged to the inlet passage. This valve is spring loa ed by a spring 16 pressing on the valve proper through a I valve body and spring.

characters designate the foot 17 and reacting through a flanged disk 18 against an adjustable screw threaded stem or abutment 19, which engages the threads of a tapped hole in the end wall or head 20 of the valve body. Thus, by rotating the screw stem 19 in one direction or the other, the pressure exerted by the spring on the valve proper may be increased or diminished. The adjustments so effected are maintained by a lock of peculiar character, which more particularly forms the subject matter of this invention.

' It will be noted from the drawing that the valve body is made of two parts connected together'by means of a screw joint 21 and separable so as to permit insertion of the But its details of construction are unimportant.

The lock shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is formed of stiff wire or rod stock bent into U-shape with legs of unequal length, and the longer leg is further bent more or less nearly at right angles and preferabl in the same plane with the other le This ormation provides the locking mem er with two guides 22 and 23, a loop 24 connectingthem and a tongue portion 25. The guides 22 and 23 are inserted through holes in the end portion of the stem 19 which is designed to protrude outside of the valve casing, and the tongue 25 lies beside the stem and projects toward the bod The lock member may be thus mounte in the stem before the end part which provides the tongue 25 is bent'down. The distance between the tongue 25 and loop 24 is wider than the stem 19 b an amount suificient to permit movement 0 the look as a whole and displacement of the tongue 25 from the stem far enough to pass out of the complemental notches in the valve body. a

The outer part of the end wall or'head 20 y of the valve body is provided with one or more complemental parallel transverse notches 26, a suitable number, arrangev 1- ment and form of which is shown in plan by Fig. 4. The surface of the head intermediate the notches is preferably cylindrical, and at any rate does not extend as far at any point from the stem as the distance-to which the locking tongue 25 may be withdrawn from head 20. Another form is shown in Figs;

3 and 4 and will be later described. Removal of the cap 27 enables the lock to be moved out of the notch containing it and the stem to I i of the notches.

it: Thestem m5- tainer.

be rotated. While I have shown here a complete cap, designed to. enclose the lock and the protruding end of the stem, and to make a leakage tight joint with the valve body, it is evident that a complete cap is not necessar to serve the function of retaining the loc ing tongue, formed by the part of the cap which surrounds the threaded end of the valve casing head. To all intents and purposes then, so far as the function now being considered is concerned, the lock retainer is a ring embracing the part of the head in which the locking notches are contained and covering the ends ered asa gate for the notches.

To prevent removal of the retainer ring or gate by unauthorized persons, I have provided overlapping lugs or flanges 28 and 29 on the valve body and cap or ring, such lugs having holes adapted to be placed in register, through which the has of a padlock 30 may be passed. Thus a trip securing adjustments of the spring abutments; namely, the locking tongue 25 and notches 26, the retainer 27 which holds the lock in any one of the notches, and the padlock 30, which prevents removal of the re- In place of a padlock as the third locking means, other e uivalent contrivances may be used, one of w ich is shown in Fig. 2 and will presently be described.

Fig. 2 illustrates the application of t is in Vention to a weight loaded valve in whic the load of the weight is more or less diministed by an adjustable spring. Here .11 represents the valve casing '12 the inlet, 13 the critlet, and 14 the valve proper. A weight 31 furnishes the loading by whichthe valve is normally closed. Said weight has a central assageway surrounded near its upper end g an internal shoulder 32 adapted to take t e reaction of a sprin The lower end of the passage in the weight is closed by a lug havin a stem 34 projecting so as to ear on the va ve proper.

"The sprin 16 in this casesurrounds' a stem 19 and 1s confined between the shoulder 32: and a flange 35 on the end of the stem. passesv from the interior 'of the weight through the end thereof and'also described, and its parts but this function is per- The ring may also be conside lock is provided for.

fectively heavier or lighter,

through the end wall or head 20 0f the valve casing, being threaded in a bushing 36 which is screwed into the head 20 and is secured by a key 37.

The spring 16 balances the weight in greater or less measure according to the adjustment of the stem 19; and the limits of adjustment may, if desired, be made wide enough to enable the Weight to be entirely supported by the spring or'to press on the valve proper without any diminution whatever. a The lock shown here is substantially identical with that shown in Fig. 1 and previously 3 are designated 15 the same reference characters there use. The head 2O of the valve casing is provided with notches 26 similar to those described, and a cap 27 or equivalent ring or gate is applied to the head so as to cover the notches.

An alternative lock for securing the retainer a level lower than that of'the tank, serving in this use as an anti-siphon valve to prevent continued flow of the oil by syphonic action after'the suction pump has been shut down. The force exerted bythe weight is adjusted by means of the adjustable sprin so that it will prevent the valve being lifte by the oil 7 head alone, but will permit it tolift when the pressure due to the oil head is augmented by a suction pump. of oil head require the weight to be made efit may be made so by adjusting the stem 19, after which the adjustment is secured by the lock 25.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a modified form of lock for the spring abutment stem, and an alternative lock retainer. In this case the lock is made from heavy sheet metal, or other material of a similar nature,and is cut with an L. or angle shape to form a. guide part 23" and a tongue part 25?. through a transverse slot in the spring abutment stem 19 and is of suitable outline in cross section to beheld therein without possibility of rotation but capable only of moving endwise. An e e 24 is formed in the outer end of the gui e .part and is adapted to re- The guide part passes If different conditions ceive thehasp of a padlock 38 or. equivalent filler or stop, prevent withdrawalv ofithe tongue from of the notches 26 in which it may be set.

which serves as a retainer .to'

padlock'is equivalent to the loop 24 shown inFigs. .1 and the stem and being movable endwise thereequivalent filler could be inserted in the loop shown in either of these figures in substitution for the cap 27, so far as concerns merely the lock retaining function of such cap.

It will be understood that the form or arrangement of the notches 26 shown in Fig. 4, although said figure is a plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 3, is or may be.

the same as of the notches in the construction shown by Figs. 1 and 2; Four notches equally spaced are here indicated; but it is apparent that the number of notches is immaterial and that there may be any number from one up to the limit permitted by the dimensions of the valve-body head and the locking tongue, and the strength of the materials of which these parts are made.

An important advantage of valves having the characteristics hereinhefore described is that these characteristics provide means for increasing or decreasing the pressure control of the valve by a known amount for each turn, or fraction thereof, of the spindle. When such a valve is designed and applied for use, for example, as an anti-siphon device in a pipe line for conducting oil from a tank to a burner atv a lower level than the tank, one complete turn is equal to a given head of oil, depending on the 'stifiness of the spring. I have found it convenient for this specific use to make the pressure increment or decrement due to one rotation of the stem equal to a two-foot head of oil. By means of this invention a known change in the pressure controlling eiiect of the valve may be made without need of subjecting it to an .actual test. This is an important feature of utility when the circumstances make it impossible or inconvenient to retest the valve for a new setting of pressure. I

A lock substantially, like that herein described, andits retainer, may be applied to other uses and combinations wherein it is desired to look a screw stem or other'rotatable part. Hence the broadest scope of the protection which I claim is not limited to the combination and use with a valve; although I claim as new and desire to protect the improvement in valves of the type described, which consists in applying the lock herein described to the spring stem or abutment of such a valve.

What I claim and desire to sec re by Letters Patentis 1. A supporting structure having a screw threaded passageway and an open notch at one side ofsaid passageway, a threaded stem occupyin and rotatable in, said passageway, sai stem having a transverse passage, a locking member occupying thev passage in through, said member having a tongue beside the stem arranged to enter said notch, and to be withdrawn therefrom, by its move-% ment in the stem, and a displaceable lock retainer adapted to prevent such withdrawal of the lock.

2. A supporting structure having a screw threaded passageway and an open notch at one side of said passageway, a threaded stem occupying, and rotatable in, said passageway, said stem having a transverse passage, a locking member occupying the passa e in the stern and'bein movable endwise t erethrough, said mem be'r having a tongue beside the stem arranged to enter said notch and to be withdrawn therefrom by its movement in the stem, a displaceable lock retainer adapted to cover said notch, and a lock for holding said retainer in its notch covering position. v 3. A valve com rising a casing having a head provided wit a screw threaded passage, and a valve proper in said casing, a spring within said casing adapted to influence the opening and closing of the valve proper, an abutment stem for the spring rotatably mounted in the passage in said head, the head having a notch. at one side of the passage, and a locking member extending transversely through the stem and movable transversely therein, said locking member having a tongue extending beside the stem and adapted to be moved into and out of said notch.

4. A valve comprising a casing having a headv provided with a screw threaded passage, a valve proper in sa'd casin a spring within said casing adapted to in uence the opening and closing of the valve proper, an abutment stem for the spring rotatably mounted in the passage in said head, the head having a notch at one side of the passage, a locking member extending transversely through the stem and movable transversely therein, having a tongue extending beside the stem and adapted to be moved into and out of said notch and a lock retainer displaceably engagea le with the lock for preventing withdrawal of the tongue thereof from said notch. j

5. A valve comprising a casing having a head provided with a'screw threaded passage, a valve roper in said casing, a spring within said casing ada ted to influence the opening and closing of t e valve proper, an abutment stem for the spring rotatably mounted in the passage in said head, the head having a notch at one side of the passage, a locking member extending transversel through the stem and movable transversely thereimhaving a tongue extending beside the stem and adapted to be moved into and out of said notch, a retaining gate displaceably covering the open side of said notch, and a lock for holding said gat in position to close the notch.

6. A valve comprising a casing having a head provided with a screw threaded passage, a valve roper in said casing, a spring within said casing adapted to influence the opening 4 closing the open side of the notch to prevent and closing of the valve proper, an abutment stem for the spring rotatably mounted in the passage in said head, the head having a notch at one side-of the passage, a locking member extending transversely through the stem and movable transversely therein, having a tongue extending beside the stem and adapted to be moved into and out of said notch, and a ring displaceably surrounding that portion of the head in which the notch is formed and closing the open side of the notch to prevent withdrawal of said tongue therefrom;

7. A valve com rising a casing having a head provided with a screw threaded passage, a valve proper in said casing, a spring within said casing adapted to influence the opemng and closing of the valve proper, an abutment stem for the spring rotatably mounted in the passage in said head, the head having a notch at one side of the passage, a locking member extending transversely through the stem and movable transversely therein, having a tongue extending beside the stem and adapted to be moved into and out of said notch,

a ringdisplaceably surrounding that portion of the head in which the notch is formed and withdrawal of said tongue therefrom, and a lock engaging with the ring and casing for holding the ring in its notch closing position.

' In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

FRANK H, HOPKINS. 

